i'm denise koch. >> thanks for watching. don't go away. there's much more ahead on the cbs evening news with scott >> pelley: tonight, two officers wounded in a ferocious gun battle in the mountains of southern california. the police have closed in on a a fired l.a. cop wanted in a series of revenge killings. carter evans has the breaking news. a major withdrawal of u.s. forces from afghanistan. we'll preview the president's announcement, which will come in tonight's state of the union. major garrett is at the white house. charlie d'agata in afghanistan. her parents will be with the first lady tonight. her alleged killers are in jail. dean reynolds on the shooting death of hadiya pendleton. and the taliban robbed afghanistan of its musical soul, but he is bringing it back. >> we can speak in a common

language of humanity, which is the language of music. captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley reporting tonight from washington. >> pelley: good evening. the most-wanted man in california, fired los angeles cop christopher dorner, appears to be surrounded tonight. he's holed up in a house in san bernardino county, east of l.a. dorner was discovered by fish and game officers a little after noon local time today. there have been gun battles and two officers have been wounded. their condition is unknown. this is the sound of one of those gun battles recorded by our correspondent, carter evans. (gunshots)

>> reporter: i hear some screaming. you heard all that gun fire. i see a team of sheriffs deputies in full-on fatigues with weapons drawn running towards us right now. we are down on the ground behind the fields of our car right now with the doors open. i'm talking to you on speakerphone. we are right, right in the center of the action here. we are right where this is happening. >> pelley: christopher dorner attracted a dragnet and a $1 million bounty on his head after three murders. officials say he was targeting cops and their families in a rampage of revenge for his firing. we now have carter evans live on the phone. carter, what is the latest? >> reporter: scott, i can tell you that the swat team has the cabin where christopher dorner is located right now, they have it surrounded. they've been moving into position for the last hour or so. we haven't heard a volley of gun fire like you heard there in the last hour or so. what we have heard are police

officers firing tear gas into that building. they've also been laying down suppressive fire to keep dorner from firing back at them while they've been moving officers into position. there are two police helicopters circling overhead now, keeping an eye on things from the sky. on the ground, things seem to have calmed down a bit as authorities seem to have moved into place. one thing is for sure-- we know christopher dorner is still inside that cabin, and that time is on police officers' side when it comes to this standoff. scott? >> pelley: carter, is there any reason to believe that there's anyone else in the cabin with dorner? are there any hostages? >> reporter: there's nothing to indicate that right now. we have heard reports that there may at one point have been someone inside that cabin with him, but i've not been able to confirm that with authorities. at least the authorities standing around me right now think christopher dorner is the only one in that cabin. >> pelley: carter, thank you very much. police believe that dorner's rampage began a week and a half

ago when a couple was murdered in irvine, california. one of the victims was the daughter of a retired police captain who had defended dorner in a disciplinary hearing that led to his firing by the l.a.p.d. police spotted dorner early last thursday, but he escaped after allegedly shooting two los angeles cops. he's also accused of ambushing two riverside policemen, killing one of them. investigators found his truck in the mountains northeast of l.a. senior correspondent john miller once headed up the major crimes division of the l.a.p.d. john, what do you know? >> reporter: well, scott, as we've described, this is a story that's developing in real time. but what we're told is there was some kind of confrontation today that involved a truck. we've seen video of a truck which was kind of almost rammed into a snow bank, buried in the snow. that confrontation then spilled over with deputies. it appears that dorner may have

been in that house for some time. ironically, or strangely surprisingly, that house is located almost just across the street from the police command post where they've been running the search operation for a number of days, and not far from where his burned-out pickup truck was found. we're also told the weapon he's using is a sniper rifle, a .50 caliber barrett. this is an extraordinarily high- powered rifle, the kind that is used by the military. the swat resources on the team from san bernardino county l.a.p.d. resources, a direct action team has arrived at the san bernardino airport by helicopter. other armored vehicles and swat personnel are on the way from the city to assist if san bernardino needs them. >> pelley: john, thank you very much. we will continue watching as this story unfolds and break in with any developments.

in another major story tonight we are hearing from the white house that the president will announce a plan to withdraw half of the american troops fighting in afghanistan. shortly, president obama will leave the white house and head here to the capitol, where he will make the afghan announcement as part of the state of the union address. a new cbs news poll out tonight finds the president's job approval rating at 52%, but he gets poor grades on his handling of the economy. while 45% approve of the job he's doing, 49% disapprove which is why the economy, with unemployment at 7.9%, will get a lot of attention tonight. major garrett is at the white house for us tonight. major? >> reporter: scott, democrats briefed by the white house tell us there will be specific new ideas from president obama, some he's never proposed before, to increase wages and boost federal investment in manufacturing research. there will be other initiatives as well, and we are told the president will make it clear to

congress, if it doesn't act, he is prepared-- at least in some cases-- to use executive authority. the president's speech will begin and end with a focus on the economy. in one excerpt, mr. obama will say, "every day, we should a ask ourselves three questions as a nation: how do we attract more jobs to our shores? how do we equip our people with the skills needed to do those jobs? how do we make sure that hard work leads to a decent living?" those briefed on the president's plan say there will be tens of billions in new spending on infrastructure and manufacturing. but mr. obama will also say those programs are "fully paid for and fully consistent with the budget framework both parties agreed to just 18 months ago. let me repeat-- nothing i'm proposing tonight should increase our deficit by a single dime. it's not a bigger government we need, but a smarter government that sets priorities and invests in broad-based growth." the president will also continue his push for gun control and comprehensive immigration reform. but, scott, we're told by white house officials there will be no new ideas for those two issues

because the white house says the underlying legislative politics are complicated enough. >> pelley: major, thank you. on that afghanistan announcement, there are 66,000 americans fighting there tonight. mr. obama intends to bring home 34,000 of them by this time next year. most u.s. combat troops are due home by the end of 2014. charlie d'agata is at our afghan bureau in the capital, kabul and, charlie, i wonder, what is this going to mean to the troops on the ground? >> reporter: well, the key question, scott, is the time frame. any commanders here will tell you that they want as many boots on the ground for as long as they can, certainly through the summer and the fall, when the fighting picks up against the taliban. and there's a lot of work to be done, especially along eastern afghanistan, where insurgents have been infiltrating from safe havens in pakistan. they're holding territory there. they're launching attacks here in kabul. u.s. troops are also focused on the south around kandahar, the

birthplace of the taliban. now, it's been announced that the afghans will be taking the lead in the spring. but what we've seen for ourselves is u.s. forces fighting right alongside them, providing the firepower, air support and medical evacuation. >> pelley: charlie d'agata in kabul. charlie, thank you. the president's facing another national security challenge tonight. late last night, north korea conducted an underground nuclear test, its third test. this could be a crucial step toward building a bomb that could fit on a missile capable of striking the u.s. the u.n. security council condemned north korea's test and the u.s. is threatening to impose additional economic sanctions. at the state of the union address tonight, there will be a great deal said about compromise and bipartisanship, but in reality, there seems to be very little mood for it. today, in a meeting with reporters but no cameras, john boehner, the republican speaker of the house, said this of the president and deficit reduction:

those of us in the room asked the speaker if he meant what he said and he repeated it. the speaker was also asked about whether he would be open to president obama's proposal to raise tax revenue by closing loopholes in the tax code. he was referring to the recent tax rate increase on wealthier americans. bob schieffer is our chief washington correspondent and anchor of "face the nation." bob, you were in that breakfast with the speaker, he didn't seem open to change. >> no. what was interesting about it to me, scott, is he was not particularly angry. he just seemed like someone who'd kind of come to the end of his rope. he said at one point, you know he said, "i've tried nonstop for two years to deal with the president," and he said "i get burned every time."

he said, "i'm hoping we'll hear something -- some sort of something that... a call to get together on something." but he said, "it just does not seem to be happening." i thought he was speaking kind of more out of dismay and despair than anger. the one thing he said, he said the president is simply not engaged with the congress. he said not at the presidential level, not even at the staff level. so, i don't know what the president's going to say tonight, but so far, republicans don't seem to be expecting very much. >> pelley: looking forward to seeing you here later for the state of the union, bob. thank you very much. just a short while ago at the capitol, we spoke with the number-two republican in the house, majority leader eric cantor of virginia. speaker boehner this morning told a group of reporters over breakfast, and i'll quote, that the president "does not have the guts to do what needs to be done." that's pretty personal, and i wonder if it's helpful in terms

of reaching compromise on legislation? >> i didn't hear the speaker say that. what i would say is there's a lot of frustration, i know about the lack of results here in washington, and we do have to redouble our efforts and i believe strongly, set aside differences and find where the common ground is. >> pelley: can you give me something specific, congressman, that you agree with the president on? that could actually pass? >> i'm hoping that education would certainly be one that we can work together on. i know that, initially, the president himself embraced reform in education. i know his secretary of education has also been an advocate for that. >> pelley: we're hearing republicans talk about different things since the election. we're hearing you talk about families, the folks at home that are striving to make it, and the ways that government can be helpful to those people.

it is a different face for the party. >> well, i think that what you're seeing is a republican party that says, you know, we have principles of self- reliance, of faith in the individual and family, insistence on the accountability in government. and these principles can actually be put to work and connect with real challenges that people are facing in their everyday lives. >> pelley: house majority leader eric cantor. cbs news live coverage of the president's state of the union address, and the republican response, begins at 9:00 eastern time, 8:00 central. that's 6:00 in the west. the president's controversial nomination of republican chuck hagel to be secretary of defense is moving ahead. the senate armed services committee voted 14-11 today to send it to the full senate, and a vote there is expected by thursday. we'll have the latest on a chicago murder that got the attention of the white house. we'll show you where the pope will live in retirement.

and it is misery at sea aboard a stranded cruise ship when the "cbs evening news" continues from washington. washington. d chills- the flu's a really big deal. so why treat it like it's a little cold? there's something that works differently than over-the-counter remedies. prescription tamiflu attacks the flu virus at its source. so don't wait. call your doctor right away. tamiflu is prescription medicine for treating the flu in adults and children one year and older whose flu symptoms started within the last two days. before taking tamiflu tell your doctor if you're pregnant, nursing. have serious health conditions, or take other medicines. if you develop an allergic reaction, a severe rash, or signs of unusual behavior stop taking tamiflu and call your doctor immediately. children and adolescents in particular may be at an increased risk of seizures, confusion or abnormal behavior. the most common side effects are mild to moderate nausea and vomiting. the flu comes on fast,

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gang wars. today, two suspects were ordered held without bail, and dean reynolds has more. >> reporter: chicago detectives flooded the area of the city park where hadiya pendleton was killed last month, and they were led to the suspects with the help of surveillance videos and interviews with parolees in the neighborhood. alleged gang members michael ward, 18-- who police say has already confessed-- and kenneth williams, 20, were picked up saturday night and charged on monday. chicago police superintendent gary mccarthy. >> they thought the group they shot into included members of a rival gang. instead, it was a group of upstanding, determined kids like hadiya who were repulsed by the gang lifestyle. hadiya's parents, invited to the state of the union in washington, were relieved. cleopatra cowley is her mother. >> i can't close the book on my child, but i'm very excited that the murderers who hurt my baby have been caught.

>> reporter: ward, the alleged trigger man, has a long criminal record. but the police noted that when he pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a firearm about a year ago, he was given probation, and he stayed free despite three subsequent arrests. >> this has to stop. gun offenders have to do significant jail time. >> reporter: tom burns says illinois' gun laws are undermined by a lack of mandatory minimum sentences for gun violations. >> if you get caught with a gun and there's a minimum sentencing, you're going to be off the streets for a while. you're not going to have that opportunity within six months of being caught with a gun to shoot somebody else. >> reporter: but if convicted in this case, scott, the two suspects could face life in prison. >> pelley: dean, thank you. the vatican said today that pope benedict will have nothing to say about the election of his successor next month. the pope ordered this former convent in vatican city renovated. it will be his retirement home. and we learned today that the pope has been living with a

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here's seth doane. >> reporter: milad yousufi grew up in war-torn afghanistan, and though he did not have a piano he did have an imagination. >> reporter: wait a second, you drew a picture of a piano and you pretended to play? >> yeah, yeah. >> reporter: because there was no access to a piano? >> yeah, yeah. >> reporter: no access because the taliban, who controlled afghanistan for five years banned all non-religious music. >> reporter: today, the taliban is out of power and 18-year-old yousufi is making up for lost time. he's joined afghanistan's first youth orchestra which, thanks to american funding, is on tour in the u.s. >> afghan music is three plus four. >> reporter: we met as they practiced with the maryland

youth orchestra. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ how is it to play with american students? >> reporter: the orchestra is the brainchild of achmed sarmast who fled afghanistan during taliban rule. he returned in 2008, the mission of reviving the arts by opening a music school. >> reporter: why is music so important? >> reporter: his students are ages ten to 21; half are orphans or street kids. and in a country where women typically have few opportunities, they make up a third of the music school.

>> reporter: on this night, that language resonated throughout washington's famed kennedy center. 48 musicians playing vivaldi and longing for their own season of change-- an afghanistan without war. seth doane, cbs news washington. >> pelley: stay with us. we will have an update on that southern california siege coming up next.

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>> pelley: updating our top story, police have surrounded a house in the mountains of southern california. they believe fired los angeles police officer christopher dorner, wanted for a murderous rampage, is inside. earlier today, there was a fire fight near the house. two police officers were wounded. part of the fire fight was recorded by our correspondent carter evans. (gunshots) we do not know condition of the two wounded officers. john miller, our senior correspondent, is at the broadcast center tonight. john, what do you know? >> reporter: well, at this

point, scott, after that big shoot out that occurred, everything went quiet. now, they've laid down some suppressing fire so that they can move people into position around the perimeter. they've put in some tear gas. the question is, what's the situation inside that house? we have a suspect, a former los angeles police officer, who certainly understands the equipment and may have a gas mask in his kit, who is laying in wait still armed with a .50 caliber barrett. has he taken his own life or was he hit in the shootout? they're going to have to plan their next move very carefully. >> pelley: john, thank you very much. we will be following the situation as it progresses through the night. that's the "cbs evening news" for tonight. we will be back at 9:00 eastern time with live coverage of the state of the union address. with thanks to the jones day law firm for this view of the capitol. and for all of us at cbs news all around the world, i'm scott pelley. see you again soon. captioning sponsored by cbs captioned by media access group at wgbh access.wgbh.org